Venetian blind



Aug. 25, 1952 l. E. SEALY VENETIAN BLIND Filed July 2o. 1949 1N VEN TOR. i7544A/ E. SEALY B @www ge@ Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND Ivan E. Sealy, Geneva, N. Y.

Application July 20, 1949, Serial N0. 105,707v

v (ci. 16o-177) 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new and improved Venetian blind but more particularly and speciiically to a Venetian blind in which the ordinary and conventional ladder-case is eliminated.

An ordinary Venetian blind embodies a laddercase which is ordinarily made of tape. This element is objectionable in that it becomes dirty and yfor the further reason that it forms an obstruction when the blind slats .are being cleaned. Additionally the assembly and dismantlement of a ladder-case type Venetian blind is laborious and diicult.

I One of the objects of the present invention is the elimination of a ladder-case in a Venetian blind and the consequent provision of a Venetian blind the slats of which can be more readily and easily cleaned.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved manner of supporting the slats of a Venetian blind which arrangement provides a blind which is easily assembled and dismantled and the slats of which are easily cleaned.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a Venetian blind the slats of which can be conveniently and easily cleaned without removing them from the blind but at the same timeprovides a construction wherein the slats can be quickly and easily removed from the blind for cleaning.

Another and still further object of the inventionv is the provision of a Venetian blind the slats of which are supported in a novel manner which permits the slats to fold closer together than is the case in conventional blinds.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a Venetian blind in which slats can be quickly removed and replaced in those instances where a new and substitute slat is desirable by reason of damage to a slat.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a Venetian blind which is extremely simple of construction and cheap of manufacture.

Other objects, novel features of construction and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a Venetian blind embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side View of a blind slat supporting swivel pin.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinalv vertical sectional view of the swivel pin appearing in Fig. 2-. a

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View in perspective illustrating the manner of attachment between a blind slat and a supporting swivel Fig. 5 is a longitudinal Vertical sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. f

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional viewon the line 6-6 ofFig. 4.

Any of the usual and conventional mechanisms for lifting and tilting the blind slats can be utilized in connection with the present invention in that a conventional head member and conventional pulleys and gears are utilized. These elements specically form no part of the present,

invention and as they are well understood a corn'-, plete illustration ofthem is not included in the drawings.4 1 3 UtilizingY like characters and reference y'numerals to designate similar parts, a conventional head member or board, usually made of wood and having its upper face longitudinally slotted as at I, is designated as an entirety by A. At one of its ends, the end selected for illustration, a

pair of spaced pulleysv 2 and 3 are disposed withinr the head member slot I. The blind lifting cords 4 and 5 are trained over these pulleys. The lower end of the cord 4 passes through the end of the blind bottom board B and issuitably detachably secured to the bottom board while'the other cord 5 has its end (not shown) similarly attached to the opposite end of the blind bottom board B.

In accordance with conventionalpractice the head member or board A is provided at its opposite ends with depending brackets onlyone of which, designated l, is illustrated. A head slat C is pivotally supported at its opposite ends, as at 8, between these brackets.

The bracket not illustrated in the drawing is provided with the mechanism for tilting theslats. This can be a conventional worm and gear arrangement which is manually actuated by a cord the pulling of which oscillates or oppositely tilts the head slat C. Inasmuch as any arrangement can be used to accomplish this and as the specic arrangement utilized forms no partv of the present invention specic illustration of it is unnecessary. In all Venetian blinds provision is made for tilting the slats and any ofthe common and known arrangements can'be'utilized in connection with the present invention.

In addition to the head board A, the bottom board B, and the head slat C the blind is madeL up of a plurality of spaced apart parallel blind slats D. The number and lengths of these slats is determined by the dimensions of the window or other opening with which the blind is to be associated. These slats are preferably composed of a thin gauge metal provided with a suitable surfacing in the nature of an enamel or the like but the precise material of which the slats are composed and the particular finish thereof is not critical but metallic slats are illustrated and hereinafter described.

It is to be understood, and this will be hereinafter more fully described, that the present blind like conventional Venetian blinds operates in a manner whereby al1 of the slats can be lifted into a compact unit beneath the head slat C, or can be tilted upwardly or downwardly as desired.

The uppermost of the slats, designated 9 for identity, is suitably supported from the head slat C. The precise manner in which this is accomplished is not critical. The manner illustrated is by the use of chains I9. Two' chains are utilized at each end of the slat and chains are associatedwith the forward and rear edges of the slats as is clearly illustrated. The upper ends of the chains are secured to the head slat C by means of screw eyes II, or the like, while the links at the lower ends of the chains pass through suitable openings I2 formed in the slats adjacent their edges. Removal and replacement of the slat 9 can be easily and quickly accomplished by merely opening the lowermost chain links. Due to the construction thus far described it will be seen that when the head slat C is tilted the uppermost slat 9 will be similarly tilted.

The remaining slats comprising the blind are supported in spaced parallel relationship from four cords or the like, I3. These cords have their lower ends secured to the bottom blind board B at the four corners thereof as at I4. The cords extending vertically past the outer ends I5 of the slats adjacent but in spaced relationship to the corners thereof and have their upper ends suitably secured to the four corners of the uppermost slat 9 by eye rings I6 which pass through suitable openings I'I in the slat S. The eye rings IB can be similar'to chain links so that by opening and closing the links the f cords can be attached and detached from the slat.

Each of the cords I3 at a point opposite the end of a slat is provided with a Slat supporting element in the form of a swivel pin designated as an entirety by E Specifically each swivel pin comprises a bead-like housing I8 from one end of which extends a pin I9 which on its end within the housing is provided with a head 2D. The pin is freely rotatably in the housing but its head prevents its longitudinal displacement from the housing. At its opposite end the bead carries a cord engaging element which comprises an eye or ring 2| having a shaft portion 22 extending into the housing and provided interiorly thereof with an enlarged head 23. This element, like the pin I9, is freely rotatable with the housing but prevented from longitudinal displacement by the head 23. A cord I3 extends through the eye 2I and the eye is tightly secured and clamped to the cord by the application of pressure. This holds the eye against longitudinal movement along the cord yet provides an arrangementr whereby the eye can be conveniently attached or removed from the cord.

Each slat in each of its corners is provided with a construction for detachably frictionally receiving a pin I9. The arrangement to be described provides suflcient frictional engagement between a slat and its supporting pins as to prevent accidental disconnection of a pin from a slat yet permits a pin to be disconnected from a slat by the application of a reasonable amount of force. Specifically each blind slat at each of its corners is provided with a pair of clips each of which is designated as an entirety by F. Each clip is formed by cutting the slat on a pair of parallel lines and then depressing the slat between said cuts to provide a pair of downwardly extending and oppositely inclined walls 24 and 25 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The clip is V-shaped in longitudinal cross sectional configuration and the pins lie between the apex 26 of the clips and the underface of the slat D. Inasmuch as the slat is metallic there is some resiliency to the clip and the pins are held under removable resilient engagement with the slats. Each slat is illustrated as being provided in each of its corners with two clips but it is to be under. stood that if one clip were found to be suflcient and adequate a single clip could be utilized.

With the construction described it will be seen that when the slats are caused to be tilted by tilting the head slat C the pins I9 will freely revolve in the housing I8. Additionally it will be obvious that the pins I9 and their associated parts will support the slats in the position illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing.

Should the slats D be composed of a material such as woodwherethe pin engaging clips could not be formed inthe manner described it is to be understood that the inventive concept is sufficiently broad as to include the provision of sep-` arate suitable clips which will be attached to the slats.

The operation ofthe blind will be obvious from the foregoing description. It will be seen that the arrangement makes it possible for the slats to fold into actual abutment with one another which is not possible in Venetian blinds as lordinarily and commonly constructed. Attention is directed to the fact that the blind is of'extremely simple construction and yet sacrifices none of ther attributes of an ordinary Venetian blind in respect to tilting and lifting. The blind has the advantages that there are no ladder-case tapes passing` through the blind slats intermediate their lengths and consequently even without removal of the slats they can be easily cleaned. The elimination of these tapes is very advantageous in that theybecome discolored, dirty and frayed and make cleaning of the blind slats a major and laborious operation. Obviously the arrangement is novel and unique in providing quick attachment and` detachment or placement and replacement of blind slats.

Departures from the specific constructionillustrated can be made without departing from the inventive concept and accordingly the invention is to be limited only within the scope of the hereinafter following claims. The use of cords or chains or their equivalent is optional and where cords are referred to either in the description or claims this term is to be interpreted to include equivalents thereof.

What I claim is:

l. In a Venetian `blind having slats and supporting cords therefor, a connector associated with each corner of each slat, an element rotatable in each connector, and having an end se 5 cured to a supporting cord against movement in respect thereto, a pin axially rotatably supported in each element, and said pins having ends detachably secured to the slats by resilient friction means.

2. In a Venetian blind having slats and supporting cords therefor, a pin at and extending outwardly from each slat corner and being detachably secured to the slat by resilient friction means, a cord attaching element associated with each pin and having a connection with a supporting cord which prevents movement of the element in respect to the cord, a connector associated with each pair of pins and elements and inter-con- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,725 Grassby, Jr. Mar. 8, 1938 2,122,224 Wade June 28, 1938 2,251,363 McGrew Aug. 5, 1941 2,374,591 Dunn Apr. 24, 1945 2,440,769 Hackett May 4, 1948 2,521,151 Cusick Sept. 5, 1950 

